Article applicable for various purposes, together with process of manufacturing same.



UNITED STATES PATENT amen.

JOHN EDW'ARD THORNTON AND CHARLES FREDERICK SEYMOUR ROTHVVELL, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

ARTICLE APPLICABLE FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES, TOGETHER WITH PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,689, dated July 31, 1900. Application filed August 26,1899. Serial No. 728,647. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it-known that we,JoEN EDWARD THO'RN- TON and GHARLEs FREDERICK SEYMOUR ROTHWELL, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Article Applicable for Various Purposes, together with the Process of Manufacturing the Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a substance of a transparent nature and to a process of man ufacturing the same, which may be used as a substitute for celluloid, glass, ivory, or other substances or may be applied to various purposes to which such substances are at present appliedor to other purposes for'which it may be found suitable. t

It consists,essentially,of a transparent substance prepared or obtained by treating or dissolving the zinc salts of fatty acids with a suitable volatile solventsuch as ben zol,coaltar, naphtha, benzolin, or other similar light hydrocarbonand drying or solidifying the same in the presence of heated air.

In carrying out the invention we take the zinc salt of one or more of the fatty acids in powdered form and treat or dissolve the same with a volatile solvent until the material assumesthe consistency of a heavy plastic mass. We find it advantageous to mix two or more fatty acid salts and also to add thereto a zinc salt of resin acids, and for the purpose we prefer to employ zinc oleate, zinc stearate, and zinc resinate. The following formula may be taken as an example of suitable proportions of the materials: zinc oleate, six parts; zinc stearate, four parts; zinc resinate, one part; benzol,one hundred parts. The materials are well and thoroughly mixed in a kneading-machine until a homogeneous viscous solution or mass is obtained. The mixing may be done cold or at the ordinary temperature; but it is preferably and more rapidly edected at a temperature of from 30 to 50 centi'grade. The

material in a viscous state is then spread out into thin sheets or films molded into blocks or other form or rolled into sheets, as may be found best for the purpose to which it is to be applied. For the production of flexible transparent films, such as employed for photographic purposes, this viscous mass or solution is flowed or spread out onto flat slabs or tables of glass or other hard even material, suflicient of the volatile solvent having been added to reduce it to the desired consistency to spread itself into a very thin film or layer. For the manufacture of molded blocks or slabs or for the production of thin sheets or films by rolling out the material the same quantity of the zinc salts may be used with a less quantity or proportion of the solvent,

using only sufficient of the solvent to enable the powdered salts to be mixed or blended into a homogeneous mass in the kneadingmachine. The proportion of the solvent may be from twenty to twenty-five parts, by weight, the quantity being as small as practicable to reduce so far as possible contraction during drying. After the spreading or molding of the substance or compound thus formed it is dried at a temperature of from 40 to 55 centigrade in a current of warm or heated air which carries off the volatile solvent. render such waterproof the viscous mass may be applied by means of a spreading-machine, or the compound may be reduced to a liquid state by the addition of a greater proportion of the solvent and applied thereto by a roller or other suitable form of machine. Aharder and less flexible material may be made by increasing the proportion of the resinate or stearate of zinc or by the substitution of palmitate of zinc for the stearate. The molded blocks may be further pressed into any desired form or shape by means of suitable dies, or the material may be cut, turned, or otherwise manipulated when solid.

In the preparation of this new compound or substance it is preferred to use the salts of oleic, stearic, or palmitic acid, to which may be added a small quantity of the salts of resin acid. Instead of these, however, any other fatty acids occurring in natural oils or fats may be combined with the zinc and used as a substitute.

The physical properties of the substance as to flexibility, hardness, and the like may be modified by using various proportions or mixtures of the salts indicated.

This substance we find will be cheaper to For the treating of fabric or paper to cable for the following among other uses:

(a) the preparation of photographic films, either flexible or stiff, as a base for the sensitive coating; (1)) surfacing paper (or other material) for photographic purposes; (0) surfacing or sizing of printing, writing, packing,

' and other papers; ((1) waterproofing paper or fabrics or as a coating or casing for such materials; (e) a transparent sheet (like paper) on which to print in colors transparent designs for decorative purposes, show-cards, or the like; (f) a substitute for celluloid and similar materials or compounds; (9) a substitute for glass and. glass plates for many purposes; (71.) in films or sheets for waterproof packing material; (2') substitute for leather; (j) preparation of cloth for bookbinding, upholstery tracing, and similar purposes; (k) preparation of paper for bookbinding, tracing, and similar purposes; (1) manufacture of sanitary wall-paper; v (m) mixed with coloring-matters or dyes or with pigments or lakes it may be used as a substitute for ivory, bone-jet, amber, stained glass, or the like.

. For photographic films the compound or substance is prepared as before described and when dry is washed with a solution ofsilicate of soda and then coated with the sensitive gelatin emulsion. I

Fabrics, paper, or other materials are coated with the compound or substance, either in a plastic or liquid state, before drying. When in a plastic state, it is spread over thesurface of the fabric or paper by an ordinary 1 spreading-machine provided with gages or doctors, and when inaliquid'stateit may be applied to the surface by means of an engraved roller, or the fabric or paper may be passed through the solution. Fabric cloth or paper so treated may be ornamented by engraved or embossed rollers or plates applied to the surface with a certain degree of pressure while thematerialis still plastic. When dry the surface may be ornamented further by printing a design or pattern thereon.

What we claim asour invention, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is v 1. The method of producing a flexible transparent substance by treating the zinc salt of a fatty acid with a quantity of a volatile solvent and drying and hardening the same.

2. The method of producing a flexible transparent substance by treating zinc oleate with a quantity of a volatile solvent and drying and hardening the same.

3. The method of producinga flexible transparent substance by treating zinc oleate with benzol and drying and hardening thesame.

4. As a new article of manufacture a transparent substance consisting of the dissolved and hardenedsalt of. zinc and a fatty acid substantially as described. 7

5. i As a new article of manufacture a transparent substance comprising zincoleate dissolved in a volatile solvent substantially as described. v

6. As a new article of manufacture a transparent substance comprising zinc oleate treated with benzol.

In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN EDWARD THORNTON. CHARLES FREDERICK SEYMOUR ROTHWELL.

Witnesses:

' J. OWDENOBRIEN,

B. TATHAM WOODHEAD. 

